How one big inning pushed North Gaston baseball into playoffs' second round, and Kings Mountain packing

By Joe Hughes jhughes@gastongazette.com

Tuesday

May 7, 2019 at 10:25 PMMay 7, 2019 at 10:43 PM

All North Gaston has wanted this season is to be who they are.

DALLAS — It’s a simple notion, yet one North Gaston baseball coach Jesse Martin hopes his team lives by any given night.

“I just want this team to be themselves,” he said earlier this season. “I don’t want this team thinking about how many games it can or will win, or a state championship. Us playing like we know how to play will help take care of a lot of that.”

Following Tuesday’s Class 3A first round matchup with conference foe Kings Mountain, it’s fair to say the Wildcats’ skipper believes his club stuck to its values.

North Gaston scored five runs in the second, while senior hurler Fermin Osio went the distance to help it claim a 7-1 victory over the Mountaineers.

It was the fourth time this season the Big South 3A rivals matched wits — each won by the Wildcats — including one played during last week’s league tournament.

“Obviously, you don’t want to play a team that many times, especially one you just played last week,” Martin said. “But at the same time, you know who you’re playing. You know what they have, there aren’t that many unknowns. There are advantages and disadvantages.”

Such familiarity served North Gaston well in the second inning, using small ball to scratch across the game’s first run.

Following a Luke Bumgarner double, Jack Lowery’s base hit a batter later moved him over to third. Being aggressive, the Wildcats attempted a “squeeze play” — a hitter laying down a bunt while the runner at third tries to scurry home before the throw.

Unsuccessful on his first two tries, the third time was the charm for Adam Anderson as his bunt allowed Bumgarner to score and give North Gaston a 1-0 lead. Will Farnsworth’s single allowed two to cross home plate, while a Jackson Finger base hit and a fielding error also helped the Wildcats’ cause.

Osio helped his cause in the bottom of the sixth, his lone base hit of the night bringing in two to give North Gaston a 7-0 advantage.

The UNC Asheville signee wasn’t threatened much of the night. But when he was, good fortune was always around the corner.

In the sixth, Kings Mountain loaded the bases courtesy of a pair of base hits and a walk. Osio would respond by striking out a batter and forcing another into a groundout, along with the Mountaineers failing on a “squeeze” attempt of their own.

By the time Kings Mountain threatened in the seventh, the game had already been decided.

“I thought (starting pitcher Bryce Fisher) pitched well tonight, and overall I didn’t think we beat ourselves,” said Kings Mountain baseball coach Brad Melton. “We didn’t have walks, we didn’t really make critical errors. They hit the ball, they had good approaches, they put the ball in play, they had a two-strike bunt that went their way. At some point you have to tip your hat to them, they were the better team.”

Osio allowed seven hits while striking out nine Mountaineer batters. He walked three in the game.

North Gaston was led at the plate by Jack Lowery, who was 2-for-3. A host of other Wildcats contributed with a hit of their own.

John Harmon Melton led Kings Mountain in a losing effort, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

North Gaston (20-5) moves on to face Northern Guilford — 7-3 winners over Parkwood - in Friday’s second round of the Class 3A playoffs.

According to Osio, the recipe for success remains the same.

“We got to really focus,” he said. “We need to keep our bats hot, stay focused on defense and minimize our errors because they kill, especially in the higher rounds.”

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.